BC Transit passenger falls out of moving bus near Sidney

A BC Transit rider is lucky to have avoided serious injury last month after falling through the doors of a moving bus.

BC Transit confirmed they are investigating an incident that occurred on September 24th involving a passenger falling out of a slow-moving route 70 bus near the intersection of Beacon Avenue and Highway 17 in Sidney.

The incident took place on a double-decker bus, which was promptly removed from service. BC Transit confirmed that a mechanical issue with the door led to the fall, ruling out operator error as a contributing factor.

“Our thoughts are with the person involved, who our organization remains in contact with,” BC Transit said in a statement.

“Safety is our top priority, and BC Transit is currently carrying out an investigation into this matter.”

The investigation includes reviewing CCTV footage and conducting a full inspection of the bus in question. Following the incident, BC Transit proactively checked the functionality of all similar bus models to ensure proper operation, and no other buses were removed from service.

The passenger reboarded the bus with the help of the driver, and although details are unclear, they remained on the bus until paramedics met with them near Uptown.

“BC Emergency Health Services received a call at 5:31 p.m. on September 24 from a person who was riding a bus and needed medical care. The patient exited the bus at the bus stop at Kelvin Road and Douglas Street in Saanich where they were met by paramedics in a BCEHS Link and Referral Unit,” said a spokesperson with BC Emergency Health Services.

“Link and Referral Units are used to transport patients with less urgent medical concerns who are able to walk on their own. Paramedics provided care and assessment to the patient at the scene. The patient did not require hospital transport.”